Promoting Human Dignity in Healthcare through Catholic Social Teaching

The research delves into how Catholic Social Teaching (CST) principles can inform and transform healthcare practices by emphasizing the common good and human dignity. It discusses nurses' perceptions of their professional dignity in hospital settings, highlighting the importance of these values for ethical care delivery. The paper draws on various sources to argue that integrating CST in healthcare not only supports justice but also fosters a more humane approach to patient treatment. By examining case studies from integrated outpatient clinics and other relevant research, it underscores how principles like solidarity and subsidiarity can be applied effectively in clinical settings to ensure equitable and compassionate care for all patients.

Running head: NURSING ASSIGNMENT
Nursing assignment
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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A new study provided an insight into the healthcare topical question of how quality of
life is enhanced among elderly patients that highlights the importance of respect for autonomy
and maintenance of dignity. This study was conducted where the results showed that aged care
facilities strive for continuity of care and there is lack of choice and control of aged people
affecting their quality of life (australianageingagenda.com.au, 2018). This evidence suggests that
autonomy is not being addressed and no amelioration of their emotions and grief supporting the
fact that there is lack of dignity among elderly patients that is considered core value in
healthcare. This stark finding suggests that autonomy and dignity of older people is being
undermined in various healthcare settings affecting care towards them.
In the current healthcare scenario, nurses are unable to preserve dignity and autonomy of
patients and minimize distress among elderly patients. Although, dignity is woven into the care
of healthcare providers that takes their wishes into consideration meeting their needs, there is
evidence that elderly patients are not being valued and there is diminishing of their participation
in decision-making process (Kurokawa, Yabuwaki & Kobayashi, 2013).
Whatever may be the basis for grounding dignity, it is important for every human being
to respect other’s dignity. Dignity is violated when there is gross violation of individual rights. In
the institutional healthcare, preservation of elderly dignity is respect for autonomy involving
them decision-making process and advocate to ensure that there is no violation of dignity. This
violation of common good can be justified in terms of common good (Tonry, 2016). The shared
responsibility of maintaining dignity among elderly patients is not being realized by the
healthcare providers. This depicts that there is no realization of common good in the society and
it is not being addressed in the context of healthcare.

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Among the Catholic Social Teaching (CST) principles, the issue of dignity is being
addressed by common good principle in the contemporary society. Common good acts as a
foundational principle that is greatly intertwined with dignity of humans leading to solidarity.
The issue of maintaining elderly dignity can be elaborated through common good that for
building dignity, there is need for social relationships and conditions that allow individuals
reaching fulfilment and empowerment. The healthcare professionals need to work towards
promoting common good as their core value promoting patient dignity by delivering high quality
of care (Sabatino et al., 2016).
Various proposed ways are pivotal for nurses in promoting common good for welfare of
elderly patents recognizing human beings as social being. Firstly, older people lack potential to
perform activities of daily living and as a result, it hampers their independence and dignity. In
these situations, nurses need to empower older people so that they realize their inner potential
promoting true resilience. Nurses encourage elders and guide them so that they take an active
participation in their health and wellbeing promoting dignity and independence. Nurses need to
care for the whole person that is one aspect of promoting care as factors like gender, age, culture;
language and cognition should be taken into consideration (Carr, 2016).
Respect for elderly people is also required where nurses should provide avenues of
empowering older people controlling their life. Nurses should encourage independence where
nurses should encourage elderly patients in performing activities of daily living. This is
encouraging independence which is another way of promoting dignity among elders. Dignity
care is another element that promoted dignity among elders comprising of value-giving care,
doing, and negotiation and building relationships. The type of care also influence dignity and
treatment as nurses should maintain privacy of patients while giving personal care. Value-giving

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care is beyond the act of doing something for the patients rather treating them with compassion
and care (Nicholas, 2015). Empathetic communication and building of relationships also enables
nurses to provide dignity by enhancing understanding and knowledge of nuances while providing
care. Nurses can negotiate on aspects of care while providing dignity care to elderly patients. In
this proposed ways, nurses can promote dignity among elders realizing the principle of common
good in their provision of care.
Common good and human dignity can be explained in terms of elderly dignity through
the ten principles of CST. The principle of respect for human dignity explains that every person
is worthy of dignity and respect and should not be disrespected. Elders should be treated with
greater dignity and respect by healthcare providers and can never forfeit their rights. The
principle of respect for human life also defines dignity in a way where every person has
inherent dignity whether young or old and should be treated with respect seeing sacredness of
human life as moral vision for promotion of common good in society (Waters et al., 2017). The
principle of association explains that human being is social and not personal and so elders
should be included in the diverse community and not isolated promoting dignity. Principle of
participation explains that every human being has the right to participate or duty to shape human
society seeking common good and promoting well-being. Vulnerable people like elderly people
should be encouraged to take an active part in their clinical decision process as shapers or not
just passive recipients. Principle of Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable explains
that elder people are vulnerable and should give priority to their choices, needs, and rights and
maximize their potentials to make them empowered (Carr, 2016).
Principle of Solidarity explains that it is important to preserve and firm determination
committing oneself to common good where nurses should be good with the caring for every

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older patient responsible for caring. The Principle of Stewardship explains that nurses have the
responsibility to care for the elder patients better safeguarding them and respecting them to live a
sustainable life. The Principle of Subsidiarity explains that nurses should provide right amount
of support, aid or help that help them to accomplish needs of elder care or meet their obligations.
The Principle of Human Equality demonstrates that every individual is entitled to dignity and
respect as human beings in the society (Wright, 2017). This is radical equality that is created
every human being (even elders) need to be treated with dignity and lies close to God. Lastly, the
principle of common good explains that a healthy community is developed when every
individual flourish. In this context, elder people should be treated with dignity where nurses
should take into account their legitimate aspirations and needs promoting greatest good for all
patients. This concept is greatest of all where every older patient should be worthy of respect
performed by nurses (Tablan, 2015). Therefore, these CST teachings can be used to promote
human dignity and common good in the community.
Elderly people are subjected to social exclusion and being isolated by others. In this
context, Community participation and advocacy in CST can contribute to that fact that elderly
patients should not be isolated and make them engaged as full members in the community. They
have an obligation to support and help the elderly patient population in getting socially included
in the society (Himes, 2017). Community is the place where human beings live and therefore,
elders should be empowered to participate being socially included that promote dignity and
autonomy. This helps to show dignity as they feel concerned and being socially associated in
community. Therefore, it can be concluded that CST principles provide framework for viewing
society ensuring common good and good of humans of humanity coalesce.

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References
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